Rolston scored his team-high seventh and eighth goals of the season, Todd White had a goal and two assists, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard added three assists for the Wild.

Northwest Division-leading Minnesota (8-1-0) moved into a tie with
Dallas for the Western Conference's best record. Buffalo (9-0-0) is the
only team in the NHL with a better mark.

"Hopefully we can keep going," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "All the
points that we're getting could be points that could help us make the
playoffs."

Brian Willsie scored a third-period goal for the Kings, who are
1-5-2 in their past eight games. Included in that stretch was
Minnesota's 2-1 overtime victory at Los Angeles on Oct. 18.

Dan Cloutier stopped 26 shots and dropped to 7-10-4 in his
career against the Wild.

"I played them a lot when I was with Vancouver," Cloutier said. "But
they seem to have more offense this year. And Manny is playing very well
right now."

Minnesota, which was coming off a 2-1 West Coast road trip, improved to
6-0 at home.

The Wild have gotten off to such a red-hot start in part because teams
have had such a hard time scoring against them. Minnesota has allowed 15
goals this season, tied with Dallas for the fewest in the NHL.

In the offseason the Wild overhauled their defense, parting ways with
Filip Kuba, Andrei Zyuzin, Daniel Tjarnqvist and Alex Henry and signing
a trio of experienced defensemen with a history of winning -- Kim
Johnsson, Petteri Nummelin and Keith Carney.

Fernandez's play also has been a bright spot. No longer splitting time
with Dwayne Roloson, who was traded to Edmonton in March, the 10th-year
veteran entered Wednesday's game with the third-best goals-against
average in the NHL at 1.60.

"Any defenseman that is on the ice, we have confidence that they're
going to do their job," Bouchard said. "And Manny is doing a great job.
He's making some key saves."

Fernandez and the Minnesota defense have been particularly impressive
against the power play. The Kings were 0-for-7 with the man advantage
Wednesday as the Wild increased their NHL-best penalty-killing
percentage to 93.5.

"They're good. They're confident with the puck," Lemaire said of
Minnesota's defensemen. "They can make plays. I think they believe in
their ability to get the puck out, to move it."

The Wild also have received balanced scoring. The team played its third
consecutive game without star right winger Marian
Gaborik, sidelined with a groin injury, but got a big boost
from the line of center White and wingers Bouchard and Rolston -- the
only line coach Lemaire has kept intact this season.

On Wednesday, Lemaire actually used Pavol Demitra
with Bouchard and Rolston for the second line's first time on the ice,
but the coach went with White, Bouchard and Rolston for the rest of the
game.

"A little bit surprised, but Jacques has got his different opinion,"
Bouchard said. "I guess he wanted to try something else, and it's good
that he put us back together."

The switch paid off quickly, when Rolston got the Wild on the board at
13:02 of the first period. White fired a slap shot from the left circle
that Cloutier saved. Rolston gathered the rebound and backhanded the
puck off the post and into the net.

Rolston struck again for Minnesota's second goal, as he sped ahead of
the pack, took a long pass from White and knocked in his own rebound
from close in 8:34 into the second period.

White gave the Wild a 3-0 lead with 5:02 left in the second. Bouchard
collected the puck off the boards and passed it to White, who then beat
Cloutier top shelf from the right circle.

Willsie spoiled Fernandez's shutout bid at 10:53 of the third when he
scored his first goal of the season, but the Kings couldn't mount a
comeback against the defensive-minded Wild.

"We're trying to play where the team has to beat five guys before they
get a chance," Lemaire said.

Notes

Wild RW Mattias Weinhandl played after missing three games
because of a concussion.

Rolston has scored at least one point in his past five games.

Minnesota has a nine-game home winning streak dating to last season.

Kings star defenseman Rob Blake, who signed a free-agent deal
with Los Angeles this year, has just two assists and is a minus-7 for
the season.

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